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Savannah-Chatham precinct commander on administrative leave

A Savannah-Chatham police precinct commander is on administrative leave.

It was announced to command staff Wednesday morning that Capt. Philip Reilley was placed on paid administrative leave, said Julian Miller, metro police spokesman.

Miller said he could not discuss the nature of Reilley’s leave, other than to say that it was a personnel issue. Reilley, a longtime veteran of the force, commands the department’s West Chatham Precinct.

In October, an officer assigned to that precinct, Michael Kerr, named Reilley as one of six alleged offenders, including former Police Chief Willie Lovett, in an ante litem letter — a notice of intent to file suit — filed with city of Savannah and Chatham County officials.

In the letter, Kerr complains of injuries he allegedly suffered as a result of conduct by Lovett and others “who knew or should have known of that conduct and who allowed that conduct to occur or continue or who participated in” it.

The letter alleges the purpose of that scheme was “to accomplish and conceal some or all of this conduct.”

Injuries Kerr allegedly suffered included retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, failure to promote because of gender, discrimination based on national origin or race and conspiracy by members of the police department.

Reilley joined the old Savannah police department in 1980, according to previous stories. He was promoted to captain in February 2012, and given command of metro's West Chatham Precinct — the department’s largest.

Miller said that in Reilley’s absence, West Chatham’s lieutenants are commanding the precinct on a rotating basis per shift.